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Salty gets start; Lavarnway set for Monday

Salty gets start; Lavarnway set for Monday

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Salty's RBI double 0:44

7/8/13: Jarrod Saltalamacchia drills a double off the wall in center field to drive in Mike Napoli and cut the Red Sox's deficit to 10-4

By Ian Browne
/
MLB.com |

BALTIMORE -- Two days after manager John Farrell said that Ryan Lavarnway would likely get the start behind the plate for Sunday's day game after Saturday's night game, he reversed course. There Jarrod Saltalamacchia was again, starting for the fifth straight game.

Ever since David Ross went down with his second concussion, the Red Sox have become more reliant on Saltalamacchia, with backup Lavarnway playing sparingly.

The main reason Saltalamacchia started on Sunday is because of the rapport he has built with starter Jon Lester.

"Today is probably as much about the combination of Salty and Jon," said Farrell. "That's not to take anything away from Ryan, but there's a rapport there that's been built over the last few years with Salty and Jon, and we want to preserve that."

Because Saltalamacchia is a better hitter from the left side, Farrell figured it made more sense to give Lavarnway the start at Fenway on Monday night, when the Sox face Rays ace David Price.

Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Brownie Points, and follow him on Twitter @IanMBrowne. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.